Reviews and Other Stuff

Aesop Skincare Review

aesop skincare review

 

As a skincare junkie, my attention naturally turned towards trying and testing Aesop products, mainly for curiosity’s sake and also to see if the brand could fill the void of some of my skincare needs. Aesop is an Aussie skincare brand owned by a Brazilian company. It is known for its simple and straightforward design of its packaging with emphasis on plant-based and sensory-invoking formulations that are very much spa-like. I’ve never been to an Aesop store before, and I also have not seen any of their signature concept spaces in some department stores. I’ve heard and read that each of their stores is unique and that the interiors are well-designed. I hope to set foot in one of them someday. Anyway, I got my Aesop fix from Nordstrom.comย and Saksfifthavenue.comย which made it so convenient especially if you don’t have an Aesop store nearby. So here some Aesop goodies that I’ve tried and tested lately.

 

Parsley Seed Cleansing Mask

 

Parsley Seed Cleansing Mask (2.1 oz: $45) – This is a lightweight face mask with antioxidants and aloe vera. It has a blend of clay and herbaceous scent with a bit of something fresh and floral. The consistency is smooth and creamy and its color is a light brown clay that transforms into something of a pale white shade once it dries. The instruction says to use this twice weekly for 15 minutes, which I did. It has a calming effect on the skin and it’s good in keeping moisture on the face. It is a great mask if you have a normal, sensitive or dry skin, but definitely, it’s not for oily skin like yours truly here. On my skin, this doesn’t feel like it goes deep into cleansing my pores or that it takes off excess oil. I definitely need something stronger than this like Philosophy’s Purity Made Simple Pore Extractor which actually smells and feels very similar to this Aesop Parsley Seed Mask. Also, the Pore Extractor Mask from Philosophy works better and it’s also cheaper.

Rind Concentrate Body Balm

Rind Concentrate Body Balm (4.2 oz: $35, 17 oz: $97) – If you love the way your hands smell after eating a citrus fruit, then you’re surely to going to love this scent. This versatile cream totally smells like 100% citrus, orange, and lemon skin. It is so good and so irresistible that I practically got addicted to its scent. This is definitely the best Aesop product I’ve tried so far, and its consistency does not disappoint. It’s a smooth mid-weight cream that is not too thin and not too thick. It’s also non-sticky and it goes through the skin easily. Truly a great body and hand moisturizer, and because I love this so much, I’ll be repurchasing this in its largest size, simply because this is unbelievably good, and I highly recommend this to all of you guys.

 

Aesop Geranium Leaf Body Scrub swatch

 

Geranium Leaf Body Scrub

 

Geranium Leaf Body Scrub (6.1 oz: $35) – This is a very invigorating gel body scrub with pumice, bamboo stem, and geranium leaf. A little bit of this works really well to exfoliate the body because this scrub is so gritty and it foams nicely, but at the same time, it’s also gentle on the skin. You definitely need to rinse this off thoroughly and try to use it once or twice a week. This surprisingly leaves the skin smooth and soft, refreshed, and very well-cleansed. I love its unisex green and fresh scent that almost feels like you’re having a spa. I just wish Aesop will make this in a much larger container in the future.

 

Aesop Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser

 

Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser (6.8 oz: $25, 16.9 oz: $45) – This is another gel body cleanser that smells fresh and green just like the Geranium Leaf Body Scrub above but without the pumice. It lathers really well and it also leaves the skin feeling thoroughly cleaned and soft. I also found this to be gentle on the skin and you also don’t need to use a lot of the product. I believe this a great alternative for those who don’t want the super-exfoliating Geranium Scrub version and just wants an everyday gentle body cleanser, but this is also a great partner together with the scrub if you want that extra cleansing and polishing.

 

Aesop fabulous face cleanser review

 

Fabulous Face Cleanser (3.4 oz: $33, 6.8 oz: $49) – What a fabulous name for a facial cleanser eh? I wanted to check how fab this cleanser would be, and I find that this actually has a mild herb-like scent that’s great for everyday use. It works pretty well for normal, combination, dry, and sensitive skin types especially during the winter, and it foams quite ok. It cleanses gently so a lot of folks will surely love this, however, if you’re the oily-skin type, you might need something more potent than this just so you can get rid of excess oil and shine.

 

Bottom line, I like Aesops’ concept of organic simple skincare products that actually smells relaxing and luxurious. I find their formulas to be very well-thought-out but they’re pricey and hard to find. Because of that, I feel like I’d probably limit myself to theย Geranium Leaf Body Scrub because it’s such a very good exfoliator with a fresh herbaceous and spa-like scent that’s kind of hard to come by nowadays. And of course, I am definitely in love and will definitely hoard the Rind Concentrate Body Balm. Not sure about the Parsley Seed Cleansing Mask though, I prefer the Philosophy Pore Extractor more. I will probably skip the Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser from time to time, and will not repurchase the Fabulous Face Cleanser in the future, yet I will continue to discover more Aesop products because they are such awesome treats once in a while.

 

aesop skin care

 

The Aesop Skincare products are currently available at Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Barneys NY, Net-A-Porter & Selfridges

 

 

Sephora Play! March 2018

sephora play box march 2018 review

 

Hello Makeup Junkies! Curious about what came in my Sephora Play! Box this month? It’s been a pretty interesting bunch of some stuff I surprisingly liked and some stuff that I had mixed emotions with. There were also some minis that I’ve already tried before and have reviewed here on the blog, so without further ado, let’s take a look.

 

Sephora Collection Contour Eye Pencil 12 hr Wear Waterproof in 15 Flirting Game

 

Briogeo Blossom & Bloom Ginseng + Biotin Volumizing Spray (5 oz: $20) โ€“ I don’t think I’ve ever disliked a Briogeo product before. Their stuff always smells good and is always a delight to use. This volumizing spray is no different for sure. In fact, it’s so good and it’s one of my fave in this month’s box. This totally tamed my frizzes away while giving that neatly volumized look. I’ve used this after towel drying my hair and also during the day to keep my hair well-behaved, and OMG it works and I lurve it. I normally don’t use hair sprays as they tend to be sticky, especially when the weather is warm, but this? it’s light, non-sticky, and it makes my hair look shiny and in place. Totally a keeper.

 

Sephora Collection Contour Eye Pencil 12 hr Wear Waterproof in 15 Flirting Game (0.04 oz: $10) – This is a shimmery metallic taupe eyeliner that glides fairly easily on the lids. It’s easy to apply and smooth to use, and it has a very good staying power despite the heat, sweat, and humidity. It is also affordable and has other shades and finishes to choose from. It’s a great reliable eyeliner if you’re on a budget.

 

Lancome Hypnose Drama Instant Full Body Volume Mascara wand

 

Lancome Hypnose Drama Instant Full Body Volume Mascara (0.22 oz: $27.50) – This is one of the best lengthening mascaras I’ve ever tried, but the “s” or “infinity” shape of the wand doesn’t help as much in curling the lashes, however, the formula is long lasting and it doesn’t smudge. See the whole review HERE.

 

Dr. Jart+ Premium Beauty Balm Spf 45 in 01 Light Medium

 

Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain Liquid Lipstick in 35 Bohemian Purple (0.169 oz: $14) – This has always been a very good quality matte liquid lipstick and thumbs up to Sephora for creating this very good line. The texture and finish of this are very similar to most high-end matte liquid lipsticks available at Sephora and in other stores. This lipstick sets quite immediately, it is long lasting, non-smudging, lightweight and comfortable with a slight vanilla scent. However, I’m not a fan of the shade that they sent me, it’s too violet/purple-ish for my taste. For more shades, check out the review that I did previously about this lipstick.

 

Sephora Collection Contour Eye Pencil 12 hr Wear Waterproof in 15 Flirting Game swatch

 

Dr. Jart+ Premium Beauty Balm Spf 45 in 01 Light Medium (1.5 oz: $39) – This is some sort of a tinted moisturizer with a light to medium coverage. On my skin, the 01 Light Medium shade kinda appears too beige at first, but it blends on my skin easily and it then matched my skin tone, making it very wearable. The formula is soft, blendable and it covers any blemishes, imperfections, and redness. The coverage lasts throughout the day and it doesn’t have any annoying scent. I like that it comes with a good Spf number too.

 

marajo hair care Nourishing Cleansing Creme

 

Marajo Hair Care:

ย Nourishing Cleansing Creme (8.5 oz: $29) โ€“ I was really disappointed with this shampoo. On my hair, it didnโ€™t lather at all, and it made my hair very oily the next day. I kinda liked the way it smells somehow, like almond butter. However, this shampoo just didnโ€™t work for me, so I don’t recommend it.

 

ย Deep Treatment Butter (5.3 oz: $29) โ€“ This is supposed to be the conditioner in partner with the Marajo Nourishing Cleansing Creme above, but this has a rancid smell. My hair didn’t feel silky at all once I applied the product on. It feels just a thick cream but it didn’t necessarily condition my hair. I still feel like my hair was not cleaned after rinsing like there was some weird soapy residue. Totally dislike.

 

sephora play march 2018

 

Overall, as I said before, this month’s samplers have been a very mixed one. I definitely like the Briogeo Volumizing Spray, the Sephora Collection Contour Eye Pencil, and the Dr. Jart+ Beauty Balm, but I wasn’t feeling the Marajo Hair Care samples.

 

Any Sephora Play! minis you like this month?

 

 

Random Lipstick Favorites

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Matte Lip Colour in #62 Libre

 

Whaddup guys! As you may know in my Insta lately, I recently went to NOLA and I had a fabulous time. A review of my trip there will be out very soon. When I decided to go there, I packed some lipsticks with me for the trip. Theyโ€™re not necessarily new-releases, but just a bunch of what I discovered lately, and Iโ€™ve been testing them before, during, and after my trip. Excited to see which random lipstick favorites traveled with me to The Big Easy?

 

Astrology by Bite Limited Edition Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Pisces

 

Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss in #119 Bourgeoisie (0.19 oz: $30) โ€“ Iโ€™ve been so stoked by the Chanel Glosses since my last lipstick review that I decided to add another one to my stash. I picked this shade because I like that it has some shimmers and it’s on the dusty rose side, which is more like the type of color I tend to gravitate towards. Since my lips have some pigments, this color looked more like a nude gloss on me. So, I’ve been using this as my wear-alone gloss, especially when I don’t feel like wearing any lip color and just wants to moisturize and add shimmer to my lips throughout the day. Itโ€™s also an ideal topcoat for any lip color which I did pair with the Laura Mercier Velour Extreme Matte Lipstick that I also brought with me to NOLA. That particular LM lipstick is reviewed below.

 

Sisley Paris Phyto-Lip Twist Tinted Lip Balm in #2 Baby ($50) – I’ve been so curious about this balm+lipstick hybrid from Sisley Paris. It’s supposed to make the lips supple, moisturized, smoothed, and plumped with every use. It’s also an easy to apply kind of lipstick since it is housed in an XXL pencil with a twist-release type. I definitely love the ease of using this lip product, it is practical and easy to apply. The formula is certainly hydrating, just like a balm, and the pigment is pretty good. On my lips, this #2 Baby shade just gives me that right baby pink color which is perfect for everyday wear. I love everything about this lipstick+lip balm-in-one product because it is moisturizing and pigmented and was perfect during my flight to NOLA. However, this definitely requires some reapplication especially after wining and dining. Also, due to its price, it’ll be kinda hard to collect some colors.

 

Astrology by Bite Limited Edition Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Pisces (0.15 oz: $26) – When I heard that Bite was releasing their limited-edition Astrology Amuse Bouche lipsticks, I was thrilled. I love the texture of their Amuse Bouche lippies a lot and when my own zodiac was out, Pisces, I immediately purchased one for myself. Now, this shade is pretty difficult to pull off. It’s like a mix of muted orange and pumpkin, and I just don’t see the “sea or ocean” vibe in this, but it’s Pisces, so the shade should closely resemble to the fish, but by being a fish shade, does that mean looking like a crawfish+amphibian love child? LOL, because that’s kind of the deal I’m getting with this lipstick. I still took this shade to NOLA, but I didn’t wear this though. I couldn’t quite wrap my head around this color. I feel like I can’t wear this without looking like a character for The Shape Of Water Sequel. LOLz, anyhow, I really like the texture of this lipstick so much, and it smells amazing. I realized that I could still pull this off by dabbing a bit of it on my lips and then try not to overdo it. Anyway, this color is no longer available, and Bite Beauty had already released their Aries shade, which seems to also closely resemble this Pisces lipstick. On top of that, it’s also already sold out. I wonder what will be the color of Taurus? I hope it’s gonna be a pretty one.

 

Laura Mercier Velour Extreme Matte Lipstick in Vibe

 

Laura Mercier Velour Extreme Matte Lipstick in Vibe (0.035 oz: $28) –ย Medium beige nude. I’ve tried another shade of this Laura Mercier lipstick line before and it’s called Fresh (reviewed HERE). While I like that shade quite a lot, I wanted something that is a little bit fit for an everyday wear, so I bought the Vibe shade and I surprisingly liked it a lot. I kinda hesitated for a while before buying this though, because I thought it would be too light for my skin tone and it might make me look washed-out. Fortunately, I really like the way this color looks on my lips. It gives a nice subtle flush of pale pinkish mid-beige nude and it looks really great if you have a dramatic eye makeup. It still feels kinda drying still, but I usually dab a balm on my lips before putting this on, or I apply a lip gloss immediately after putting this. Overall, this shade is very long lasting and was very reliable during my trip to The Big Easy.

 

Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dolce Vita (0.086 oz: $27) – Dusty Rose. I find this shade to be so pretty and I think this would work for any skin tone. It’s not only a dusty rose color, but there’s also a subtle red hue to it. Probably, of all the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencils I have, this is my most favorite shade and it is long-wearing too. It makes the face look a bit bright and spring-ready, just like the weather in New Orleans, and it’s not an over-the-top kind of brightness since the matte texture makes the shade muted and very wearable. However, the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil is not so practical to have unless you’re always carrying a sharpener. This Lip Pencil does not come with a built-in sharpener and it isn’t a twist-release type. So Nars, please improve the packaging.

 

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Matte Lip Colour in #62 Libre (0.12 oz: $37) – I have no idea what took me so long to buy this lipstick in this specific color. This is one of the most perfect lipsticks I’ve ever tried. First, I really love this shade, it’s the perfect warm rosy nude for me. It flatters my skin tone very well, and it’s about 2 shades darker than my natural lip color. The closest dupe I could think of is the MAC Liptensity in Smoked Almond (swatched HERE), and perhaps the YSL #66 Bois De Rose (seen HERE), both of which are my holy grail. Lasting power for this lipstick is awesome, I get about 6 to 8 hours of wear with some eating, snacking, and drinking while I was in NOLA. The second thing I love about this lipstick is the texture. It’s velvety matte but it’s soft and light on the lips, and it’s definitely non-drying. You can swipe it lightly on the lips for a nice flush of color, or it can be very buildable. Lastly, I quite like the packaging of this particular lipstick line, easy to pop open and easy to close. Love it!

 

Astrology by Bite Limited Edition Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Pisces

Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss in #119 Bourgeoisie

 

Have you tried any of these lipsticks already?

 

Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dolce Vita